Andrés Chadwick Exonerated by Prosecutors, Yet Chats Reveal Influence Efforts on Parque Capital During Ministerial Tenure

Original article: Fiscalía descartó formalizar a Chadwick por no ser funcionario, pero chats muestran gestiones por Parque Capital mientras aún era ministro

Although prosecutors decided not to formally charge former Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick for influence peddling in the Parque Capital case, arguing he was not a public official at the time of the events, a review of his exchanges with defense attorney Luis Hermosilla and businessman Álvaro Jalaff reveals at least three actions taken by the former state secretary while he was still in office, directly related to the real estate project aimed at facilitating permits from the Ministry of Housing.

Regional prosecutor Lorena Parra stated in January of this year that the crime of influence peddling attributed to Chadwick required him to hold the status of a public official. 

“At the time of the commission of that crime, he was not a public official,” she declared in an interview with CNN, adding that “it’s not that he was not investigated or that there was an arbitrary decision not to formalize”. Despite this justification, records of conversations reviewed by CIPER demonstrate that Chadwick was indeed the Interior Minister during Sebastián Piñera’s second term, when he undertook key actions for Parque Capital between March 2018 and October 2019.

Actions Documented in the Chats

The review of exchanges between Hermosilla and Chadwick, contrasted with messages the lawyer maintained with Jalaff and lobbyist Francisco Feres, reveals three concrete actions by the former minister in support of the project. The first occurred in April 2018, when he arranged for then-Minister of Housing, Cristián Monckeberg, to meet with Jalaff and Feres at La Moneda.

Chats show that on April 21, Hermosilla wrote to Chadwick: “I’m calling you but you’re busy”, and hours later informed Jalaff: “I spoke with ACH (referring to Chadwick). He will secure 15 minutes with the best disposition”. The meeting was recorded under the Lobby Law on May 28, 2018.

The second action pertains to a “key” meeting that Jalaff mentioned to Hermosilla on July 25, 2018. According to the businessman, Chadwick informed him about a meeting with the “number one”—Sebastián Piñera—and the Minister of Economy to review four projects, one of which was Parque Capital.

Chats between Juan Obach, director of the Sustainable Project Management office (GPS), and lobbyist Rodrigo Medina confirm that the bilateral meeting with Piñera did indeed occur that day, during which the president committed his support and “called Monckeberg right there”. The next day, Jalaff had a coffee scheduled with Chadwick, whom he intended to bring along with Feres, but Hermosilla dissuaded him: “You have to treasure your friendship with ACH”.

The fourth episode identified in the review involves a meeting coordinated directly between Chadwick and Jalaff for July 4, 2019, while the ex-minister was still in office. Chats from July 2 show Chadwick writing to Hermosilla: “I offered ALVARO Thursday at 12 here… is that okay?”, a message that the lawyer promptly forwarded to Jalaff. The appointment was set for 9 AM. This meeting was not recorded in the lobby platform nor investigated by the Public Ministry, CIPER noted.

Prosecutor’s Response and Investigative Gaps

When questioned by the investigative outlet regarding why Chadwick’s role in negotiations while he was minister was not considered, the spokesperson for the Regional Eastern Prosecutor’s Office, Pamela Valdés, replied:  “At the time, it was not considered that the facts constituted a crime, which is why no formal charges were made”. The investigation also lacked geographic analysis to determine whether Chadwick met with Jalaff while he was attempting to unblock the project.

In his latest statement, Jalaff confessed to the Public Ministry that he paid 10,000 UF to Hermosilla—approximately $421 million—to unblock Parque Capital, resulting in a five-year conviction for bribery and the payment of $720 million.

However, in that appearance, the prosecutor did not inquire about the meetings with Chadwick or the former minister’s role in obtaining the meeting with Monckeberg. Neither was Chadwick’s former chief of staff, María José Gómez, who according to the chats supposedly arranged the meeting with the Minister of Housing, called to testify.

Chadwick’s attorney, Samuel Donoso, and businessman Álvaro Jalaff did not comment on the matter. Only Luis Hermosilla responded in writing to CIPER, stating that “he was not aware” of the meeting with Monckeberg and that “does not remember” the July 2019 meeting with Jalaff, though he admitted: “The reality must be in the chats”. Regarding Chadwick and Parque Capital, he asserted: “I only remember that he told Felipe Ward that I wanted to talk to him. Let’s not forget that the project was approved after ACH left the ministry”.

The ruling from Jalaff’s abbreviated procedure does recognize that between 2020 and 2021 Hermosilla, “through Andrés Chadwick Piñera,” held meetings with then-Minister Felipe Ward to obtain a favorable resolution for Parque Capital. This occurred after Chadwick had left the government, but the chats demonstrate that his efforts began much earlier, while he was still the Interior Minister.